Sports Highlights – October 2022

We’re pleased to share a roundup of sporting activity from the first half of the Autumn Term, including Sport Society, Climbing, Cross Country, Football, Rackets, Rowing, Rugby, Squash and Water polo.

One of the biggest changes to the sporting offer has been the inclusion of a fitness element alongside many of the games halves, which means that pupils in all years have had a variety of stamina, speed, strength and conditioning sessions added to their Games programme and this means that – as a school – in one typical week we ran/exercise-biked/indoor rowed an extra 750km than the equivalent week last year. This has led to more and more pupils taking part in challenges such as park runs, etc. on weekends when they are not involved in fixtures.

Sport Society and General Studies

The Sport Society (a brand new initiative for the school) has been set up by Mr Blake with the following aims:

The Sport Society supports, coaches and educates all members of the St Paul’s community who are actively involved in sport at any level. Focus areas include: health and wellness, development, research and technology, business, coaching, leadership, strength and conditioning, nutrition, anti-doping, medical, psychology, biomechanics and sports specifics. Bi-weekly sessions review past topics and focus on future topics that are relevant to the multi-faceted layers of school sport.

There has also been a General Studies Course set up for both St Paul’s and St Paul’s Girls’ School pupils, focusing on sport performance and asking them to think about how to create a relentlessly successful performance environment.

Climbing

The Substation Bouldering Competition was an excellent experience and very well organised. Just four teams entered: St Paul’s, St Dunstan’s, Trinity and Eltham College. The climbs were, by all accounts, set a little too hard, so everyone was really put to the test. There was a team competition, and individual male and female winners were also selected.

We won the team competition comfortably, and Jude and Sebastian tied for first place in the male category. The top score, though, was in the female category, a 14-year-old girl from St Dunstan’s decisively out climbed Jude and Seb.

Cross Country

In the King’s Trophy Cross Country, Cameron  placed 5th out of 111 with a time of 24:50:00. Louis, Ed and Euan also ran in the event.

Football

This half term, St Paul’s entered the Boodles ISFA National Cup for the first time. Pupils have been working hard, training twice a week before and after school, to prepare.

In the first-round match against ACS, St Paul’s started brilliantly, leading 3-1 at half time after excellent performances from Sasha, Oliver and Lorenzo. In the excitement of the first competitive game for the 1st XI, a lot of energy was expended in that first half and a combination of fatigue, injuries and cramp allowed ACS back into the game in the second half. The game ended 3-3 with goals from Oliver, Kyan and Sol, and St Paul’s suffered heartache from the penalty spot. Importantly, the boys remain unbeaten in normal time, accepted the result with dignity and have learned lessons about hard work in preparation and game management when holding a lead. I am sure they will put these lessons into practice in the ISFA Shield after half term.

Rackets

With multiple fixtures against Harrow, Epsom and Charterhouse at various levels, the school is proud to have left with a complete set of victories. The U15 cohort looked particularly impressive.

Rowing

The Boat Club’s senior and J16 squads had their first races of the season this half-term. Read more

Rugby

Highlights this half-term include a win for the First XV away against Radley; the Under 16 A team beating Eton 25-16; the Under 15 A team being unbeaten at home so far this term; and Under 14 teams from A-G enjoying multiple fixtures throughout the half-term.

The block fixture against Radley marked 100 years of this meeting and it was a delight to see 15 St Paul’s Rugby teams playing on the same day to celebrate this historic fixture.

Squash

Pupils in the Fifth Form and the Eighth Form represented the school in a close match against Epsom College.

The Eighth Form put in an excellent performance, but eventually lost to a very strong Epsom team, who are the current National champions, and the Fifth Form played exceptionally well to run out 4-1 winners. This was great practice in preparation for the forthcoming National Schools qualifiers.

Water Polo

The School hosted a triangular match against Dulwich and Abingdon coming away with victories in both fixtures.